First grow, really could use some help

[ThinkingMonkey]

I have no hygrometer, neither a thermometer in the tent. I have to find a way and time to make a dht11 sensor work with my RPi.

I have some overkill ventilation (187m3/hour) for such a small volume tent (0,4*0,4*1,2=0,192m3). I have a voltage regulator so it goes on quarter capacity but the air exchanges 4 times a minute anyway.

Would I mess with the photoperiod strains, if I bought an IR bulb to raise temps at night?

There is really no space for a heater or a dehumidifier in the tent.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

@ThinkingMonkey Welcome to AFNThe environment you provide to your plants is paramount to your success.

Constant fresh air with at least 400PPM of Co² with constant gentle air movement.
Light in the PPF spectrum to 32 DLI minimum 18/6 for autos and veg Photos. 12/12 Photo Flowering.
Daytime Temperatures 78°F/26°C Nighttime Temperatures 68°F/20°C.
Relative humidity 40% - 60%

If you cannot provide these parameters for growing your results will be disappointing.

 

[bobthedog]

...

There is really no space for a heater or a dehumidifier in the tent.

That is why I suggested the heatlamp or that desktop heater. They take up almost no space. I don't know how well an IR heat lamp would work unless you can point it at the pots. Keeping the plants 'feet' warm can be very effective for seedlings. Don't know about mature plants.

 

[bobthedog]

I have no hygrometer, neither a thermometer in the tent. I have to find a way and time to make a dht11 sensor work with my RPi.
...

Do you have a display already or just the Pi? If you already have the display, it looks like a dead simple, cheap as chips, project. If not, just spend the $15 for the digital hygrometer so you at least know the environment you are dealing with.

 

[ThinkingMonkey]

I got the sensor to work... 15C and 90%RH ... now I want to implement a script to keep the measurement data in a log somewhere.
I did zero watering as the pot felt heavy.
There was some progress though! I saw my first amber trichome on Mango Cream! (The first amber trich I ever grew ) I know they say to wait two more weeks when a noob thinks she is ready, but I am not looking for a couch-lock. I will probably start partial harvest as the end of the week approaches.

The leaves look the same as a week ago. The environment is far from the best (low temps, high RH), but the flowers seem fine. They are edging very slowly towards maturation. Auto Mazar (my largest plant by far) has about 40% cloudy trichomes. The pistills are still 80% white.
I can do very little about the environment. I vent so much, that an air heater would have limited effect. In my mind this leaves the IR heater as the only option. My question is: Will an IR heater during the night mess with the flowers??

 

[bobthedog]

Nice! Some progress. Yikes on the 90% RH! I would watch for mold and mildew.

Maybe start a separate thread with that question about the heat lamp in the title to get more visibility? Wish I could answer you, but I just don't have the grow experience with weed.

 

[blue]

These work for me. Keep the root zone warm AND heat up the tent.
Google Greenhouse tube heater.

You may also need a dehumidifer as 90% is way too high. If you can only get it a bit lower, i'd focus on airflow going through your plants.

Hope this helps

 

[bobthedog]

Neat! Didn't know those things existed.

 

[ThinkingMonkey]

These work for me. Keep the root zone warm AND heat up the tent.
Google Greenhouse tube heater.

View attachment 1238223

You may also need a dehumidifer as 90% is way too high. If you can only get it a bit lower, i'd focus on airflow going through your plants.

Hope this helps

Thanks for the tip. I've found one I can buy on my way from work. Do you think this is better than an IR lamp? IR lamp would heat the plants directly. This will heat the air, which should heat the plants, but is as likely to get vented out of the tent.

 

[blue]

Thanks for the tip. I've found one I can buy on my way from work. Do you think this is better than an IR lamp? IR lamp would heat the plants directly. This will heat the air, which should heat the plants, but is as likely to get vented out of the tent.

Keeping your root zone warm is better. Put it along the side of your pot(s)
Also the tube heater is on constantly so it keeps the tent (and soil) warm.

You may need more than one depending on temps and tent size, but one is fine for me. Keeps the winter out!


Edit: A bit more info.

Obviously, we're dealing with a work around here (as space .. conditions.. and money i guess, is a factor).
In a perfect world, you'd have the ideal root temp, the ideal air temp, the ideal

Actually, here's a video of the 9 parameters that would ideally be perfect. (it's light science video, but 2 mins 30s through is a good basic guide for everything you need to grow an awesome plant)




Hope this helps (it's only a minute or 2 long)